I believe that God exists. He is real and ever present. I believe he is sad when he looks down upon the earth and sees what mankind is doing. I also believe that he has a plan. His Son will return one day and end all of this madness, and take his rightful throne as King of Kings. Would anyone like to talk with me on this subject? I'm starting this new post, because some on this LBT rants and raves section don't want me to even mention God on a thread that's about abortion or the Octuplet mom or any other subject. So, I will start this thread that is only about Him and/or religion. What do you say? Is God real? Will He really return to earth one day?

M...

You are my hero.

Yep, I'll drink to that...my morning coffee, that is....

people who are unqualified... actually ALL 'people' are unqualified.. it's his job - let him do it...

I believe you are mistaking 'informing' as 'judgement'. When I bring information that I know about to this post, I am judging noone. The judgement comes when you relate the info to yourself or others. I believe that only God knows each persons heart and whether they will go to heaven or hell. (For judgement is the final destination, as in the judge made his decision) I want you to show me exactly where I formed a judgement on anyone here.

Edited March 26, 200917 yr by pattygreen

Actually, you made a thread with a question... it invites people who would answer NO to comment just as much as people who would answer YES.

If you wanted a thread for people to talk about how great God is, then you should have started one in the Lounge with that title. To start a thread in the debate section that invites debate and then be shocked when you get that debate seems a bit disingenuous to me.

It's not the debating that upsets me, for I expect debate since there are so many differing opinions,..... it's the insults, I guess.

You are preaching and you wish everyone to agree with you. You don't take dissension from your views very well, do you? I have no idea what you intended when you began your thread.

Some have asked how a loving God could allow suffering in the world. Consider what the world would be like if it could be as fair as we want it to be. No accidents could happen, no criminal act could occur, no natural disaster could affect us. That kind of world would have no logic. The natural laws that govern cause and effect would have to be different in every circumstance. Would God stop carelessness and irresponsibility? People from being hurt or getting diseases or illnesses? What about death? He would have to if sorrow and suffering were to be eliminated. During our entire life, we would be like helpless babies, always under the interventionists eyes of our spiritual God. We would no longer be free moral agents or thinking beings, allowed to consider possible courses of action and to make choices.

Love is a choice that we all make. God doesn't want his children to be with him if they don't want to be. What's love if it is forced or demanded? God must allow evil and suffering if he is to allow human free will.

Hell is a place without God and all that he is. (love, peace, goodness, kindness, justice, mercy, etc.)If someone will not come to God and doesn't want his love and goodness, then what choice does he have, but to grant their request? So there is the answer as to why God made such a place as hell. All souls live forever, so where else should he put the unbelievers?

You are preaching and you wish everyone to agree with you. You don't take dissension from your views very well, do you? I have no idea what you intended when you began your thread.

Preaching is commanded of God. "Go into all the world and tell others what you have heard." So if you want to call my 'telling' 'preaching', go ahead. And , Yes, I would love for all to agree with me. For I believe that what God has taught me to be true. Therefore, if it is true, if others don't believe it, they will go through their eternity with the absence of their creator. To me, it's of the utmost importance. For if what I believe is true, then this life is but a breath, and what matters is eternity.

As far as taking disagreement, I take that very well. Many people disagree with me. So what?

Does it not strike you as odd, PG, that so many women here have characterized you as judgemental? If I were you I would be worrying about that. Please consult with your pastor.

Does it not strike you as odd, PG, that so many women here have characterized you as judgemental? If I were you I would be worrying about that. Please consult with your pastor.

Jesus is my pastor. I consult with him every day. Thanks though.

It seems to me that there is a lot of judgement on both sides. (Not just here, but everywhere).

It hasn't? Well, maybe they don't come right out and call names, but they have their way of being hurtful.

I have seen this type of thread descend into the depths of creative profanity in just a few posts.

I would like to comment to all about the civility of this discussion.

That's not to say that there are no hard feelings but its good to see that we can come together and have a discussion about this and still remain polite.:smile2:

It seems to me that there is a lot of judgement on both sides. (Not just here, but everywhere).

Judgement is a formal decision given by a court or the final judging of humankind by God. I would not even guess at what the final decision of God is for anyone but myself. Therefore, I judge noone. I can tell others what God has told me through his word, but that is not making a judgement. If some who hears his words feels convicted, (maybe because they do not believe in him and according to what he says their life after death will be without him), it is not me judging them. It is themselves judging themselves. Just like I can only judge myself.

My son asked me last night why some people who never heard about Jesus in other countries may not go to heaven. God says that all mankind will have an opportunity to believe in him in their own hearts. A man who never heard the word 'christianity' or the name 'Jesus' will still have no excuse before God, because nature and all creation itself reveals to mankind that there is a creator and a God. So even a man who lives in Timbucktoo and is without civilization or a bible can ponder in their hearts if there is a God and be able to come to a conclusion.

My son asked me last night why some people who never heard about Jesus in other countries may not go to heaven. God says that all mankind will have an opportunity to believe in him in their own hearts. A man who never heard the word 'christianity' or the name 'Jesus' will still have no excuse before God, because nature and all creation itself reveals to mankind that there is a creator and a God. So even a man who lives in Timbucktoo and is without civilization or a bible can ponder in their hearts if there is a God and be able to come to a conclusion.

And it's this "exit clause" that makes me extremely reluctant to tell somebody that they're not going to make it into heaven.....Bottom line, only God makes that call.

i believe he is real and i imagine he'd be REALLY pissed to see others doing his judging for him ...

My thoughts exactly.

My son asked me last night why some people who never heard about Jesus in other countries may not go to heaven. God says that all mankind will have an opportunity to believe in him in their own hearts. A man who never heard the word 'christianity' or the name 'Jesus' will still have no excuse before God, because nature and all creation itself reveals to mankind that there is a creator and a God. So even a man who lives in Timbucktoo and is without civilization or a bible can ponder in their hearts if there is a God and be able to come to a conclusion.

It's funny that you should mention this because I heard a pastor talking about that not long ago. He said that there isn't anywhere in the world that hasn't heard about christ. I don't know how true it is, but it is interesting.